Vending machine



Dec. 22, 1931. Q QDONNELL 1,837,919

VENDING MACHINE v Filed Aug. 14, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY C. KO DONNELL VENDING MACHINE Dec. 22, 1931.

Filed Aug. 14, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR A ATToRNEv C. ODONNELL VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14,`4l 1929 Dec. 22, 1931.

Patented Dec. 22, 1931 NETED STATES PATENT- OFFICE y CORNELIUS ODONNELL,v OF SANJOSE, CALIFORNIA VENDING MACHINE Appiieation ined August i4, i929. serial No. 385,806.

marily intended for vending air at gasolenefilling stations or the like. n

In carrying out the invention, I contemplate a machine for the above mentioned purpose, wherein the operating mechanism is normally locked against movement, and can only be released for use by inserting a coin of proper denomination withinthe machine.

I also comprehend a machine for the above stated purpose, wherein slugs are singly dispensed from the machine. upon each completeoperation of the fluid vending mechanism, the slugs having a valuation equal to the denomination of the coin initially inserted .within the machine, and which slugs can be used in trade at the filling station or other place where the machine is installed.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understood when the following detail description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, the invention residing in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this application like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views and where* F igure 1 is a rear view of the machine with the door open and broken away.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line ,2*3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing how the coin container is locked in its initial given position, just prior to the release of the coin therefrom.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the position ofthe coin container incident to the release of the coin therefrom.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the manner of normally holding the dispensing mechanism locked against movement.

Figure 7 container.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view of the machine showing the two dierent positions of the operating lever. c

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view partly in section showing the manner in which the coin container is released to permit of its return to normal position. Y

Figure 10 is a detail sectional view of the slide and slug chute, showing the manner in which the slugs are singly dispensed from the machine. e

is a view in elevation of the coin Figure 11 is a sectional view on line 11-11 A of Figure 10. Y

Figure 12 is a detail view of the rotatable shaft The machine forming the subject matter of the present invention includes a casing 10 which may vary in size and configuration without departing from the inventive idea, and in which casing the operating mechanism'ishoused. The casing includes a bore 11, which is preferably hinged, and adaptedk to be locked in any suitable manner, such as for instance by a pad lock 12.

Entering through an openingfin the bottom of the' casing is a valve operating rod 13, which controls the/ release of air or other fluid from a storage tank (not shown). The upper end of this rod is connected to a lever 14 which is provided with a relatively wide portion 15 having a squared opening to accommodate itself to the reduced squared eX- tremity 16 of a rotatable shaft 17. As clearly illustrated in Figure 1 the shaft 17 is suitably journaled within the casing 10, although one end of the shaft projects beyond the casing and has'associated therewith a manually operable lever 18. The lever operates in a suitable guide 19 attached to one side of the cas-ing', the normal position of the lever being indicated by full lines in Figure 8.,' while theactive position of the lever is indicated by dotted lines in the same figure. It is manifest from the construction 'thus far described that when the lever is shifted from its normal to its active position as illustrated' in Figure 8, the shaft 13 will be partly rotated, thereby shifting the lever 14 from the position it occupies in Figure 2 to that occupied in Figure 9, whereupon the rod 13 will be raised or elevated to open the valve of the fluid supply tank above referred to. Fluid will then be allowed to passfrom its source of supply, until theV lever 18 is returned to its normal position, thereby reversing the direction of rotation of the shaft17,l incidentally lowering the rod 13 to close the valve as will be readily understood.

This mechanism, however, is normally locked-against movement, and can only be released for use by inserting a coin of proper denomination within the machine through the coin chute 20. Upon reference to Figure 6 it will be noted that thelever 18is provided with an opening 21 which normally receives'r a locking pin 22 carried -by the adjacent braneh23 of a bell crank lever fulcrumed at 24, the remaining branch of this lever being indicated at 25. Projecting from thev free end of the branch 25 is a lilik 26 having an offset apertured extremity 27 which receives one of a pair of pins indicated at 28 upon which the coin collector is yieldably mounted for sliding movement. These pins are mounted on suitable angle irons 29 arranged within the casing 10. Surrounding each :pin Y28 is a coil Vspring 30, and these springs bear against the coin collector 31 to normally hold it in the position illustrated in Figure 2, namely directly beneath the coin chute 20. It will be noted, however, upon inspection of Figure 6 that one of the springs 30 also bearsA against the offset apertured extremity 27 of the link 26, and thereby normally maintains the bell crank lever in a position to hold the locking pin 22 in engagement with the lever 18.

The coin collector 31 is better illustrated in Figure 7 and is formed with a recess 32 of a size to receive a coin of the proper and desired denomination necessary to permit of operation of the machine. The coin collector is also provided with a central opening 33 arranged in axial alignment with a yieldably mounted plunger 34, the latter projecting through one side of the casing 10 and equipped with a suitable knob or handle 35. Consequently, if no coin is inserted within the coin chute 20, the plunger 34 can be operated without in any way effecting .the release of the lever 18, inasmuch as the plunger will freely pass through the opening V33 of the coin container. However, when a coin of proper denomination is inserted in the coin. chute 20, it passes through the latter until it is brought to rest within the coin container 31, the coin being indicated at 36 in Figure 2, which ligure illustrates the normal position of the coin container and the coin therein,

VWith the coin located in the manner illustrated in Figure 2, it is only necessary to push inwardly on the plunger 34, which passes through the opening 33, engaging the coin. 36,

whereupon the latter and the coin container are moved as a unit in the direction of the bell crank lever above referred to. As the coin container is brought into engagement with the offset extremity 27 of the link 26 connected with the bell crank lever, the latter is rocked upon its pivot in a direction to move the locking pin 22 out of the opening in the lever 18, thereby releasing the latter for operation. The coin container normally repos'es on one of the angleirons 29, and as it is moved off this member, incident to the operation of the plunger in the manner just described, it passes beneath the free extremity of a resilient latch 37, having a hook-like extremity 38 which engages the coin container in the manner illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, thereby holding the locking pin 22 disengaged from the lever 18, until the user has had an opportunity to shift the lever from its normal to its active position as illustrated in Figure 8. It will be further observed upon inspection of Figure 5 that as the coin container is. moved away from the adjacent angle iron 29 and locked in its adjusted position, the coin 36Jis allowed to gravitate 'from the container onto an inclined chute 39, which directs the coin into a suitable receptacle 40 located in the bottom of the casing 10. The user then shifts the lever 18 from its normal to its active position, thereby partly rotating the shaft 17 in a direction which shifts the lever 14 carried thereby, from the position it occupies in Figure 2 to the position illustrated in Figure 9. During this rotation of the shaft 17 the rod 13 is elevated to open the valve of the supply reservoir or tank, and the valve remains open until the lever 18 is returnedy to its normal position, instantly lowering the valve operating rod 13. Carried by the lever 14 and arranged at one side of the shaft 17 is a finger' 41, which projects upwardly in the direction of the resilient latch 37, and is utilized to flex the latch and thereby effect a release of the coin container 31. In other words when the lever 18 is initially shifted from its normal to its active position to actuate the valve operating rod 13in the manner. above described, the finger 41 is moved from the position illustrated in Figure 2 to the position it occupies in Figure 9, wherein it will be noted that the finger 41 moves the resilient latch 37 away from the coin container 31. Consequently the coin container is returned to its normal. position under the influence of the springs 30, thereby again operating' the bell crank lever to position the locking pin 22, so that it will reenter the opening in the lever 18 when the latteris returned to its normal position.

f so desired, it is my purpose to also dispense slugs from the machine, upon the completion of each vending operation, the slugs being singly dispensed, andi possessing a value equal to the denomination of the. coin required to be inserted within the machine in order to vend the iluid. These slugs may then be used in trade at the gasolene filling station or the like wherein the machine is employed, and each slug preferably has its valuation marked thereon, this of course being determined by the particular denomina tion of the coin required to operate the vend ing mechanism.

Located within the casing 10 is a chute 42 which accommodates a column of slugs 43, and as above stated these slugs are singly dispensed from the machine upon completion of the vending operation for the fluid. For this purpose I preferably make use of a slide 44 arranged adjacent the discharge end of the chute 42 and operating between the chute and a suitable guide 45 as clearly illustrated in Figure 11. The slide is provided withtwo diagonally opposed pins 46 and 4'? respectively, which operate in slots 48 formed in the adjacent side of the chute 42. Rising from the slide is an arm 49, which preferably forms an integral part of the slide, and is connected with the lever 14 in any suitable manner adjacent one end thereof. The normal position of the slide is illustrated in Figure 2, wherein it will be noted that the pin 46 engages the acentand lowermost slug 43 to hold the latter within the chute 42. I-Iowever, when the l ver 18 is operated to actuate the valve operating rod 13 in the manner above described, the slide 44 is moved downwardly y the adjacent end of the lever 14, whereupon the pin 46 is moved out of the path of the adjacent slug 43, thereby allowing the column of slugs to move downwardly and forwardly in their chute 42. But as the pin 46 is moved away from the adjacent slug 43, the pin 4'? is moved in the path of said slug, thereby checking the forward movement of the latter and preventing its escape from the machine. The normal position of the slide and pins are indicated in Figure 2, while in Figure 9 I have shown how the pin 47 is utilized to check the advance of the slugs through the chute 42 when the lever 18 has been initially shifted from its normal to its active position for the purpose above stated. Now, when a suliicient quantity o f fluid has been obtained, and it is desired to close the valve to the source of supply, the lever 18 is returnec from its active to its normal position, thereby lowering the valve operating rod 13. Buring this movement of the lever 18 the component parts of the vending mechanism also returned to their normal positions, and which of course includes the lever 14. 14s this lever is returned to the position shown in Figure 2, from that which it occupies in Figure 9, the slide 44 is elevated, thereby moving the pin 47 out of the path of the adjacent slug 43, allowing this slug to be dispensed from the machine. At the same time however, that is with the return of the slide 44 to its normal posit-ion, the pin 46 is moved upwardly in the path of the next adjacent slug, and lthereby holds the remaining slugs confined within the chute 42. As the lever 18 is returned from its active to its normal position, itis again engaged by the locking pin 22, so that the mechanismcan not again be operated until :a coin of proper denomination is inserted within the machine.

While it is believed that from the vforegoing description, the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understood, that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described and that suchchanges may be resorted to when'desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

Vhat is claimed is:

1. In a fluid vending machine, Avending mechanism includingk a manually operable lever, means normally locking the lever against movement, coin controlled means for effecting a release of said lever, means for holding the coin controlled means in its adjusted position until the lever is actuated, and means for eifecting a release of the coin controlled means incident to the operation of said lever.

2. In a fluid vending machine, vending mechanism including a manually operable lever, means for normally locking the lever against movement, coin controlled means for effecting a release of said lever, means for holding the coin controlled means in its adjusted position until the lever is actuated, means for effecting a release of the coin controlled means upon movement of the lever in one direction, and means for automatically returning the coin controlled means to its normal position subsequent to its release.

3. In a fluid vending machine, vending mechanism including a manually yoperable lever, means for normally locking the lever against movement, coin controlled means .for effecting a release of said lever, and including a yieldably mounted coin container, means for engaging and holding said container in a position to release the coin therefrom, and to hold said lever unlocked, and means for effecting a release of the coin container incident to the movement of said lever in one direction.

4. In a fluid vending machine, vending mechanism including an operating lever, means normally locking the lever against movement, coin controlled means for effecting a release of said lever for movement in one direction to operate said mechanism, a chute, a column of slugs arranged in said chute, a slug dispensing mechanism and connections between said dispensing mechanism and the said lever whereby when said lever is moved in an opposite direction said dispensing mechanism will be actuated for singly dispensing said slugs.

` 5. In a lluidvending machine., vending. mechanism including an operating lever,

means normally locking the lever against` movement, com controlled means for'e'ect ing a release of said lever,y means for' engaging and holding the com controlled means 1n its given adJusted position until said lever is actuated, means controlled by said lever foreflecting a release of the coin controlled means` When moved in one direction, a chute adapted to contain a column of slugs, and means actuated by said lever to singly dis'- pense a slug from the machine When the lever is moved in an opposite direction to complete the vending operation.

6. In a fluid vending machine, vending mechanism including an operating lever, means normally locking the lever against movement, coin controlled means for electing a release of said lever, a chute adapted to contain a column of slugs, and means actuated by said lever to singly dispense the slugs from the machine at the completion of each vending. operation, said last mentioned means including a slide reciprocated by the movements of the lever in opposite directions.

In testimony whereof I alliX my signature.

CORNELIUS ODONNELL. 

